Repainted for safety

For the past two years, Kentucky American Water has been repainting fire hydrants across the county.

The new color scheme will help firefighters quickly determine who maintains the hydrant and how much water flow it will offer. The colors being used match the standard established by the National Fire Protection Association.

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Under the old system, firefighters had to know the size of water lines in the area to avoid potential problems and delays while battling blazes.

Before the makeover, Kentucky American's hydrants were blue and white and there was no standard for privately owned hydrants.

In Fayette County, there are more than 6,000 fire hydrants maintained by Kentucky American.

Some residents took exception to the paint job when Kentucky American crews first began painting hydrants with the new colors, said Doug Ingram with Lexington's Fire Prevention Office. "They didn't like the colors, and they took it upon themselves to paint them blue and white."